Rich Girl Caretaker Vol. 1 Chapter 2

Kiou Academy

The next day, I dressed in the white uniform of Kiou Academy and walked outside the mansion. Last night, I ended up having to ask Shizune-san to carry Hinako-ojousama back to her room. Since she had my confiscated phone in her pocket, I discreetly retrieved it.

A black sedan was parked at the gate, and Hinako-ojousama was standing in front of it.

"I wanna go home."

"You can say that again in eight hours. I'll agree with you then."

"...Ngh."

As Hinako-ojousama sulked, Shizune-san expertly placated her.

"Itsuki-wakasama, please come here."

Right, starting today, I'm the heir to a mid-level company. It wasn't until Shizune-san called me

"Waka-sama" (Young Master) that I remembered my public identity had changed.

"Itsuki-wakasama, which seat will you be taking?"

Just as I was about to get in the car, Shizune-san asked me. Is this... a review of yesterday's etiquette lesson?

"...The rear seat, behind the front passenger."

"Correct. If there is a driver, the seating hierarchy is: behind the driver, behind the passenger, and the middle rear. The lowest-status seat is the front passenger."

"And if the person you're with is driving, the highest-status seat is the front passenger."

"Indeed. You've learned well."

That's because I was subjected to an unbelievable spartan education...

"Normally, escorting Ojou-sama to the car is also the attendant's job, but I plan to hand over duties to you in stages... Well then, please get in."

After Hinako-ojousama got in, I entered the back seat, and Shizune-san sat in the front passenger seat.

"So sleepy~..."

You've slept more than enough... I barely managed to hold back the retort in my throat. The car pulled away smoothly.

"Your cover story is that you live in different places, so we will let you both out a short distance from the academy."

"Just the two of us walking to school? But what if we get kidnapped again like yesterday—"

"No need to worry. Security personnel will be monitoring your safety at all times... What happened yesterday was because Ojou-sama went out without informing us. As her attendant, you must prevent such situations from occurring again."

"...Understood."

The job starts today. As her attendant, I have to be careful.

"Speaking of which, Hinako... Ojou-sama and I are in the same class, correct?"

"Of course. You are her attendant; you must be by her side."

It seems Hinako-ojousama and I will be classmates.

"Itsuki... your wording?"

"Erk."

She heard me... But in front of Shizune-san, I really don't dare to call Hinako-ojousama by her first name.

"Shizune, let Itsuki change his way of speaking back."

"But, Ojou-sama, doing so will damage your status in front of others."

"Then... when it's just the two of us and Shizune, he can use his original tone."

"...As you wish."

Shizune-san reluctantly agreed.

"That's great, isn't it, Itsuki... You don't have to be so formal with me."

"...I'm not exactly happy about it."

Shizune-san's gaze is terrifying. Speaking respectfully isn't a problem for me; after working part-time jobs forever, I'm used to superior-subordinate relationships.

"To avoid any trouble, please maintain a respectful tone when speaking in the academy, Itsuki-san. At Kiou Academy, the heir to a mid-level company is not of high status. Doing so will avoid unnecessary trouble."

"Understood."

So the heir to a mid-level company isn't high status, huh... She didn't really need to remind me; I'd naturally act deferential anyway.

"Ah... we're almost at the academy..."

Hinako said lethargically.

"Itsuki..."

"...What is it?"

"Carry me."

The car swerved violently. This ojou-sama is suddenly spouting nonsense; even the driver is panicking.

"Ojou-sama, that is an act unbecoming of a lady..."

"But Itsuki smells good..."

"...I-Is that so?"

Shizune-san's eyes widened in surprise.

"...Itsuki-san, for my own education, may I smell you?"

"That... I don't think I smell like anything. Please spare me."

"...Yes, you do."

Hinako said, pressing her nose against my sleeve. To confirm, I sniffed myself... I didn't smell anything. If I had to say, it was just the scent of the Konohana family's laundry detergent.

"Hinako-san, I'm still a guy. If you get that close..."

"Wording."

"...Hinako."

"Veeery~ good~..."

It seems nothing I say will work. I sighed. Beside me, Shizune-san let out an even heavier sigh.

"Ojou-sama, we are about to arrive..."

"...Mm." About thirty minutes later, the car reached its destination. We got out in a quiet, deserted alley. There was no one in sight... though in reality, many Konohana guards were likely hiding nearby.

"Itsuki-san, this is for you."

Shizune-san said, handing me a black bag I couldn't see into.

"This is...?"

"If Ojou-sama refuses to listen, you may use this."

I didn't understand the meaning of that instruction, but I gave a vague "Okay" and took the bag.

"Please be careful."

I gave a slight bow to the respectfully bowing Shizune-san and started walking toward the academy.

"...I wanna go home."

"You don't need to act?"

"There's no one watching... I can relax."

It seems Hinako is equipped with a human-presence sensor. Even though she says that, as her attendant, I have to protect her ojou-sama image. I cautiously scanned our surroundings as we walked to the academy.

"...It's huge."

Faced with the majestic, mansion-like school building, I couldn't help but be amazed. Japan's foremost prestigious school—Kiou Academy. Despite the ridiculous-sounding name, it's actually an extremely elite educational institution. With every step, my heart faltered. And next to me—

"Konohana-san, good morning."

"Good morning."

Her amber hair fluttered as the girl politely responded to the passing students.

"Konohana-san... she's beautiful again today."

"Yeah, so refined..."

Such whispers of admiration could be heard all around.

I snuck a peek at Hinako, who had switched on her act at some point. She was like a different person from before. This intelligent, graceful girl was nothing like the one who was sleeping and drooling in my room last night.

"What's wrong, Tomonari-kun?"

"Wah."

Hinako stared at my face with concern. I was genuinely startled. I quickly covered my mouth, indicating it was nothing.

After entering the school building, we first headed to the faculty office. Luckily, Hinako and I are the same age, so I could be placed in the same school year without having to lie about my age. Thanks to Shizune-san's arrangements, we were also in the same class.

"You must be Itsuki Tomonari-kun. I've been waiting for you."

Upon entering the office, a female teacher spoke to us.

"I am Misono Fukushima, your homeroom teacher for Class 2-A. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you."

I gave a small nod.

"Tomonari-kun, do you and Konohana-san know each other already?"

"Well..."

I couldn't spit out the lie and fumbled for a reply. Just then, Hinako, standing beside me, spoke up:

"My family and Tomonari-kun's family are on good terms. We've known each other for a long time, so I offered to show him to the academy."

"Ah, is that so."

Hinako explained politely to the teacher, who accepted it.

"You're very lucky to have Konohana-san guiding you, Tomonari-kun."

"Hahaha... Yes, I am."

Sensei, did you know? If you leave this girl alone, she'll get lost even inside the academy.

"We have a new transfer student joining this class today."

Fukushima-sensei, who had entered the classroom ahead of me, said. I followed her in and introduced myself at the blackboard.

"I am Itsuki Tomonari. Please take care of me."

There was no applause or welcome from the class, but their gazes and expressions were friendly. My previous high school didn't have transfer students. If we had, the atmosphere probably would have been rowdy, but... the students in this class showed no excitement at all. The class was filled with a mature and accepting atmosphere.

"Tomonari-kun, you can take that empty seat... Everyone, I know you're curious about the new student, but class is starting. Please settle down."

The teacher on the podium said, scanning the classroom. I sat down in the second-to-last seat by the window and immediately took my textbook out of my bag.

First period was math.

"Let's begin. Today, we'll be covering integration by substitution."

At my old school, integration by substitution was something we learned at the end of our third year... Kiou Academy teaches it in the spring of the second year.

"That's all for the first period. Don't forget to review, everyone."

Fukushima-sensei said as the bell rang. After bowing, the students had their break.

"...I'll have to thank Shizune-san later."

Although I'd barely managed to keep up... the content was definitely difficult. Even though it was only the first class, I felt as tired as if I'd gone through a whole day.

Now then—how's the ojou-sama doing? Remembering my attendant's duty, I checked on Hinako's status.

"Konohana-san, there was something I didn't understand in class..."

"If you don't mind, I can help you."

The public Hinako was cloaked in her "perfect ojou-sama" disguise. For now, there was no danger of that cloak slipping.

"Yo! New guy!"

Someone suddenly called out from my side. I turned to see a tall boy.

"The new kid didn't even come to greet me. Pretty arrogant. Hey, hand over your greeting gift."

"...Er."

What kind of way to talk is that... I can't tell if he's joking or serious.

"Stop messing around!"

"Ow!?"

While I was wondering what to do, a short female student chopped the boy on the head.

"You're scaring Tomonari-kun!"

"S-Sorry, I was just kidding."

The male student said, rubbing his head.

"You're Itsuki Tomonari, right? I'm Katsuya Taisho."

"My name is Karen Asahi. Nice to meet you~"

After they introduced themselves, I replied,

"A pleasure to meet you both." It seems the 'gift' thing was a joke.

"Tomonari, that last class was tough to follow, wasn't it?"

"...How did you know?"

"Hahaha! Don't worry about it. It's like that for all transfer students."

"All... Are there other transfer students besides me?"

"Not at the same time, but it's not rare to transfer in. Some students at our academy enroll late due to family circumstances, and conversely, some graduate early. You're here at this time because of your family too, right?"

"That's right."

From the sound of it, the students themselves know this is a special school.

"That said, I've never heard the name Tomonari. What does your family do?"

"We're in IT. It's not a large company..."

I recalled the cover story Shizune-san had prepared and answered Asahi-san's question. My family runs a mid-level IT company, and I'm a successor candidate. That's the gist of it. Hearing my answer, Asahi-san and Taisho-kun looked at each other and nodded.

"I guessed as much from how hard you were struggling in class... Tomonari-kun, you lived a life closer to a commoner before, didn't you?"

"...You could say that."

Asahi-san smiled teasingly, and I affirmed her words.

"There are two types of transfer students. One type did well at their old school and transferred here to gild their resume. The other type wasn't great academically but transferred in due to family reasons. The former are mostly from wealthy families, the latter lean more toward commoners."

"It's hard for students from regular schools to suddenly keep up with this academy's curriculum, right? So students in similar situations tend to stick together and help each other out. Asahi and I are both in the 'commoner' group, so maybe we can help you."

"...I see."

I nodded after hearing their explanation. In short, as fellow 'commoner' students, they wanted to help me, the new guy. As expected of Kiou Academy students... They're really good people.

"Thank you both for your help."

"You don't have to be so formal. We're classmates."

"My family requires me to speak this way."

"Oh... well, we won't force you. That's pretty common."

In my head, I'm already calling him Taisho. Room, board, and 20,000 yen a day. For that, I have to play the part of an heir.

"By the way, there's something I want to ask you."

Taisho said, his expression turning serious.

"What—is your relationship with Konohana-san?"

The moment he asked, the atmosphere in the classroom seemed to freeze solid. What's going on...? For a second, I had a vision of myself standing on a guillotine.

"You two came to school together today, right?"

"Y-Yes... My parents and Konohana-san's parents have some dealings, so I took the opportunity to ask her to show me the way."

"Is that really all?"

"That's all..."

"You're not in an arranged marriage?"

"Arranged marriage... Absolutely not."

For a commoner like me, an arranged marriage is the stuff of fantasy. I shrugged. Taisho-kun's whole body trembled—then he broke into a brilliant smile.

"What the heck, man! Don't scare me like that!!"

"Gah!?"

He slapped my shoulder, and I yelped. Taisho-kun's attitude suddenly became friendly, which I found strange. Looking closer, the tension from before had dissipated, and the class was once again chatting happily.

"Man, that was a tense moment."

"What was that all about, Asahi-san...?"

"Well... Konohana-san is super famous in this academy. Not only is she the Konohana Group heiress, but she's also top of the class and has those looks."

I nodded, signaling for her to continue.

"But Konohana-san has never had any scandals. So everyone was guessing she might have an arranged partner outside of school... When you came to school with her today, everyone jumped to the conclusion, 'Could that guy be Konohana-san's fiancé!?'."

"...I get it... So 'arranged partners' are a real thing."

"I don't have one, but with Konohana-san's family, it wouldn't be strange."

Come to think of it, I've never asked Hinako if she has an arranged partner. Since they're still in the "looking for a marriage partner" phase, it feels like she doesn't... No, maybe she has one and is worried about it.

"For the record, I'm not engaged either. If you get to know any cute girls, you've got to introduce me."

"I'll handle it appropriately."

I laughed and brushed him off. Chatting with Asahi-san and Taisho, I relaxed a little. When I decided to transfer to Kiou Academy, I was worried about what might happen... but it seems I might be able to fit in surprisingly well.

Just as lunch break arrived.

"Tomonari, what're you doing for lunch?"

"We're going to the cafeteria..."

As I was packing my textbook, Taisho and Asahi came over to ask.

"Sorry, I have something to do during lunch..."

"Something to do?"

I explained to the puzzled Taisho.

"I have to contact my parents during lunch, so I brought a bento."

"I see... Your parents are pretty protective, huh?"

"They certainly are."

This was another part of the cover story Shizune-san had devised. When I first heard it, I wondered, "Will an excuse like this really work?" But judging by their expressions, my worry was needless.

"Come to think of it, Konohana-san is the same. She always disappears somewhere during lunch."

"Oh... I heard Konohana-san has to help with her family business during lunch. I've heard her say she has to attend conference calls."

Listening to their conversation, I glanced at Hinako sitting in front of me.

"Konohana-san, would you like to go to the cafeteria with us?"

"I'm sorry, I have to take care of some family business during lunch..."

"Oh, right! Sorry to bother you."

Hinako politely declined her classmate's invitation, took a bento box from her bag, and left the classroom. Seeing this, I also pulled back my chair and stood up.

"See you later."

"Oh."

"If you ever want to go to the cafeteria, just let us know."

After saying goodbye to the two, I left the classroom and looked for Hinako.

Hinako was walking alone down the hall. I followed behind her, keeping a set distance. Near the classroom, people often spoke to her, but as she left the main hallway, the number of eyes on her decreased. Across the garden, there was an old student union building. It was no longer in use due to its age, but the academy still cleaned it regularly for appearance's sake. I followed her up the building's stairs, heading for the roof. After confirming no one was around, I opened the door.

"Good work~"

Hinako, sitting on the ground, greeted me lazily.

"...Good work to you."

"Wording."

"Yes, yes."

I replied perfunctorily and sat down next to Hinako.

"You always eat here?"

"Yeah. No one comes here."

As her attendant, I must stay by Hinako's side. It looks like I'll be spending every lunch break on this roof from now on.

"How's the academy...?"

"It's a prestigious school, all right. Even after studying so much yesterday, it's still hard to keep up."

"Do your best... If your grades are bad, you might get fired."

"...That would be bad."

If I hadn't met Hinako, I'd probably be homeless and out of school right now. Thinking about it, I'm in a very privileged environment. I have to work hard so I don't get kicked out.

"Let's eat."

"...Okay."

Hinako and I lifted the lids of our bento boxes. The lunches, prepared by the Konohana household staff, were luxurious, using many rare ingredients.

"This is amazing... I've never seen such a high-class bento."

"Yeah, but the cafeteria food is even more luxurious."

"Really... You don't eat in the cafeteria?"

"It's too much trouble to eat while worrying about what everyone thinks."

She doesn't seem to like the effects of her fame.

"Besides... the bento is full of things I like."

"Are there foods you hate? Like what?"

"Carrots, green peppers, peas, mushrooms, pickled plums, tomatoes, pumpkin..."

"That's a lot. You just hate vegetables, don't you."

"You found me out."

Hinako giggled. Her atmosphere was completely different from in the classroom. If Taisho or Asahi saw her like this, they'd probably have a heart attack.

Hinako reached her chopsticks toward the bento and began to eat. However, everything she picked up fell.

"...You dropped it."

"Hm?"

"What do you mean, 'Hm?'..."

This... Now I understand why she needs an attendant. What she needs is less an attendant and more a caregiver. I don't know how she manages to act so flawless in public, but at all other times, she's hopelessly useless. Come to think of it, she spilled water all over the place from that plastic bottle when she was kidnapped.

"Feed me~"

Hinako held her bento box out to me and opened her mouth. It would be a waste to let such a carefully prepared meal fall on the ground. There's no one else around... It should be fine.

"...Here."

I randomly picked up a piece of food and brought it to Hinako's mouth.

"Mmm... Thank you for your hard work."

Hinako said, satisfied.

"You eat too, Itsuki."

"Okay."

Since Hinako said so, I reached my chopsticks toward my own bento. I started with the most common bento item, tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).

"Delicious! What!? This is too good!!"

Once I started, my chopsticks wouldn't stop. The meat, the fish, the salad, everything was unbelievably delicious.

"Which side dish do you like?"

"Which one... Everything's good, but if I had to choose, it'd be the tamagoyaki I ate first."

"Here."

"What?"

"A reward. Ah."

Hinako picked up her tamagoyaki with her chopsticks and brought it to my mouth. Being fed is pretty embarrassing. I felt resistant, but Hinako didn't seem embarrassed at all. I had no choice but to open my mouth and accept the omelet.

"...Is it good?"

"...It's good, but is it okay for me to eat it?"

"I'm your master. I must feed you."

"Feed me, huh..."

"Because I don't want you to get tired of me."

Her voice sounded heavier than usual. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I couldn't ignore it and had to ask.

"...There were other attendants before me, right? Why did that person quit?"

"I don't know."

Hinako tilted her head, puzzled. Kagen-san said it was due to stress, but I still don't understand why they'd accumulate that much stress.

"How long did the last attendant work?"

"...About two weeks."

"Huh."

That's incredibly short.

"The one before that was maybe three weeks... The longest was one month."

"...Do you have any idea why they quit so quickly...?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

Hinako tilted her head slightly, just as before. She doesn't seem to be playing dumb; it's more like she just doesn't care. Maybe she wasn't very interested in her past attendants.

"...I don't think I'll find a job with better conditions anywhere else."

"Good conditions?"

"Yeah. Room and board, plus 20,000 yen a day. It's stressful, but the conditions are great. Even if the schoolwork is ridiculously hard... if I think of it as advancing my education, it's actually pretty good."

There are many people in the world who want to go to school but can't. I was almost one of them.

"What about me?"

"...What?"

"The good conditions... what about me?"

I don't understand her question.

"...What do you mean?"

"Hmph."

Hinako puffed out her cheeks in a pout.

"Are you not interested in marrying into a rich family?"

"No... well..."

Marrying into a rich family... does she mean marrying a wife from a rich family? It's not a question of interest; I don't even have the right to wish for it. My status shouldn't even allow me to be chatting side-by-side with the Konohana heiress like this.

"Don't you quit, okay?"

"...I'm not planning to right now."

After I replied, Hinako smiled softly and lay down.

"Sleep."

"...Am I the pillow?"

"Mhm."

Since we'd had a similar exchange during the kidnapping, I immediately understood. I offered my lap, and Hinako's head immediately rested on it.

"Hehe~... So comfy..."

"...Thanks for the compliment."

With her head on my lap, Hinako quickly began to breathe evenly. Looking at her like this, Hinako really is beautiful. Although she still has some childishness for her age, she's as beautiful as any model. A healthy male student would probably be extremely excited by this situation. But for some reason, I don't feel excited. Instead, I feel calm.

"I feel like our sense of distance is..."

It's not the distance between a man and a woman. I'm occasionally aware that she's a girl, but Hinako definitely doesn't feel that way, so I can control myself. I have the respectable title of "attendant," but in reality, our relationship is something much stranger. But... this feeling is more comfortable than I originally imagined.

"...Hm?"

My phone in my pocket vibrated. Kiou Academy allows the use of phones and computers during breaks. Some of the wealthy students have to participate in company work, so this is an accommodation. It's true; during breaks, you can hear people talking about "day-trading."

"Shizune-san...?"

I murmured the name on the screen and answered the call. 'You were too slow to answer. Next time, pick up within five rings.'

"...That's pretty generous."

'You can't always answer immediately at the academy. I do take your situation into account.'

Shizune-san isn't just strict; she's only doing it to achieve the best results. I've worked under all kinds of bosses in my part-time life, and Shizune-san is one of the exceptionally good ones. Though her level of strictness is also exceptional.

'It's lunchtime at the academy, correct? Until you are familiar with your attendant duties, I will check in like this during lunch.'

"...Thank you for your diligence."

'Is Ojou-sama with you?'

"Yes. She's sleeping right now."

I probably don't need to mention she's sleeping on my lap.

'Have you run into any trouble?'

"Not so far... If I had to say, the schoolwork is hard."

'Then we will increase the amount of prep work today.'

"Ugh, I shot myself in the foot."

'As they say, diligence makes up for lack of skill.'

There's also a saying about not being able to carve rotten wood.

"By the way, I heard from Hinako earlier... did the previous attendants really quit within a month at most?"

'...Yes.' Shizune-san said, sounding reluctant.

"Do you know why?"

'The previous attendants were subordinates of Ojou-sama's father, Kagen-sama. But Kagen-sama's subordinates are Ojou-sama's subordinates. So, when they served as attendants, they tended to adopt a servant-like attitude... which annoyed Ojou-sama.'

"...Hinako doesn't like servants?"

'Well, it's not that she dislikes servants... It's the stiff atmosphere she dislikes.'

I vaguely sensed that.

'This is the first time we've tried hiring a regular person, one unconnected to the Konohana family, as an attendant... We were just worrying about how to find the next one when Ojou-sama recommended you. Your hiring was half-experimental.'

"I see..."

From the appointment as an attendant to enrolling in the academy, things moved so fast it made me uneasy, but it was an experiment for the Konohana family. Their policy is probably to try various things rather than being overly cautious, which is why the decision was made so quickly.

'What is your relationship with Ojou-sama at the academy?'

"For now, we're just saying our families know each other."

'Well done. Please maintain that distance... Are you interacting with any other classmates?'

"It's only the first day, so I don't know many... but I'm getting along well with Karen Asahi-san and Katsuya Taisho-kun."

'Hmm. Asahi-san and Taisho-wakasama.'

Shizune-san replied curtly.

'Asahi-san's family is in retail... they run an electronics chain called J. Co., Ltd.'

"...Never heard of it."

Asahi-san and Taisho said they were closer to commoners. So, like my cover story, their company must not be very large.

'Is that so? I thought J Denki was quite famous.'

"...What? J Denki?"

'Yes.'

I have heard of J Denki. I've even bought things there. Their commercials are always on TV, and it's a chain that almost every student at my old high school knew.

"Th-That's super famous...!"

'Yes. It's one of the top five electronics retailers in the country by sales revenue.'

Whoa... what 'commoner'? She's a total ojou-sama.

'In addition, Taisho-wakasama's family is the well-known major shipping company, famous for Taisho Moving.'

"That's a famous company too..."

'Yes.'

I feel betrayed. Both are highly well-known corporations.

'Your classmates' family businesses often come up in conversation. It's helpful to have a basic understanding. As you expand your network, please report to me. Also, your cover story is that you run an IT company, so starting today, you will also study IT-related knowledge. You'll need to know basic programming, at least.'

"...Please go easy on me."

'Please continue to accompany Ojou-sama. Report any problems to me immediately.'

The call with Shizune-san ended. As I sighed deeply, I noticed Hinako was staring right at me.

"Itsuki... what's wrong?"

"I'm starting to lose my confidence..."

Can I really survive at this academy? Everyone around me is a 'flower on a high peak.' I'm afraid one day my cover will be blown and I'll cause trouble for the Konohana family.

"Let me ask you."

"What is it~...?"

"Why did you appoint me as your attendant?"

"Hmm..."

Hinako thought for a moment, then replied:

"Because you... don't try to flatter me."

"...Don't flatter?"

"Mhm."

Hinako affirmed.

"You take care of me... even while acting like it's a pain. I like that."

I feel like her words don't quite line up. Maybe she's half-asleep.

"Afternoon classes... I don't wanna go."

"...Not an option."

"Ehh~"

Lunch break ended, and the fifth period began.

"This problem... Taisho-kun, do you know how to solve it?"

"Huh?... S-Sorry, I don't."

Taisho, called on by the teacher, said apologetically.

"In that case, Konohana-san, please solve it for us."

"Yes."

Hinako stood at the blackboard, picked up the chalk, and wrote the answer.

"It's done."

"As expected of Konohana-san. A perfect answer. Thank you."

Hinako returned to her seat as students looked at her with respect. She was a different person from the girl who was just lazily sleeping on my lap, whining about not wanting to go to class and wanting to skip...

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. As I rolled my shoulders to stretch, Taisho and Asahi walked over.

"Phew, I'm beat. Fifth period sucks, I was so sleepy."

"Ah, it's Taisho-kun, who couldn't answer the question in class."

"Ugh... Can't be helped. I studied the wrong section."

To keep up with Kiou Academy, you really do need to study beforehand. I admired Taisho's ability to say that so brazenly and discreetly glanced at Hinako's seat. —Hinako's not here? Noticing she wasn't in the classroom, I immediately stood up.

"I'm going to the restroom."

After letting them know, I ran off to find Hinako. The break hasn't even been five minutes; she shouldn't be far. Just in case, I hurried out of the classroom and scanned the hallway—and found her immediately.

"...What the, she just went to the restroom."

She was walking into the restroom, chatting and laughing with a group of girls. A few minutes later, she returned to the classroom and sat down. Just as I was about to head back, my phone rang.

'Is it convenient to talk right now?'

"Yes."

I'd expected it. It was, of course, Shizune-san.

'Ojou-sama has likely lost her wallet.'

"Her wallet?"

'Yes. The transmitter on Ojou-sama and the transmitter on her wallet are not in the same location.'

"...She has a transmitter on her."

How little do they trust Hinako?

"I'll go look for it... Can you tell where it was dropped from the transmitter?"

'The wallet was dropped in the west wing of the main building. We have no further details.'

The west wing? Judging by the timing of the call and the location...

"I think... it's probably in the restroom."

'...I see.'

She probably dropped it when she went to the restroom just now.

'The 'perfect ojou-sama' in public is forced to be alone in the restroom. She often loses things there.'

"I see..."

'In any case, please retrieve it.'

Shizune-san hung up.

"...'Retrieve it,' huh."

I went to the front of the women's restroom and stood there, stumped. As a guy, I can't go in. What do I do?

"You there, boy."

As I was worrying, someone called out to me. I turned to see a dazzling female student. Spiraling golden hair—so-called "golden ringlets." The girl, sporting a hairstyle I'd only seen in manga, had a well-endowed figure visible even in her uniform, pale skin, and brown eyes with a strong-willed gaze. Her forceful personality was obvious.

"What's wrong?"

"Well..."

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself."

As I stood there, lost, the girl began to speak in a unique tone.

"I am Mirei Tennouji! The only daughter of the leader of the Tennouji Group!"

The girl announced, grandly and somewhat proudly.

"Oh."

"Oh... What a lukewarm response. Don't tell me you don't know the Tennouji Group?"

"...I'm sorry."

After I apologized, Tennouji-san's eyes widened in shock.

"H-How could you not know? I-I-I'm talking about the Tennouji Group, you know?"

"My apologies for my ignorance."

"It's more than ignorance!!"

A sharp yell pierced my ears.

"The Tennouji Group is a mega-conglomerate that started in mining! We now own Japan's largest non-ferrous metals company and a major chemical corporation! Our scale rivals that of the Konohana Group!!"

"...I see."

The passionately shouting Tennouji-san startled me.

"From that reaction... you do know the Konohana Group?"

"I suppose I do."

"O-Of course! That detestable Hinako Konohana...! It's all her fault! Because of her, my name isn't getting out...!!"

Tennouji-san's face turned red, and she trembled with rage. It seems they have some personal history.

"...So, are you in some kind of trouble?"

She asked after calming down, and I remembered why I was here.

"Er, a wallet was dropped in the women's restroom. I'm trying to figure out how to get it back."

"Is that all? I'll retrieve it for you. Wait here."

Tennouji-san said and walked into the restroom. A minute later, she came out holding a pink wallet.

"This is it, right?"

"Yes. Thank you for your help."

"I have a question. Why did you, a boy, know this wallet was dropped in the women's restroom?"

"Ah... well."

I racked my brain and finally answered:

"The owner of the wallet asked me to find it... I used the process of elimination and guessed it might be in the restroom."

It was mostly the truth. Tennouji-san seems to see Hinako as a rival, but she didn't seem to realize the wallet belonged to Hinako. She should accept this answer... I thought.

"Doesn't that just make you an errand boy?"

Tennouji-san said, displeased.

"That won't do. Since you're in this academy, it means you'll have a higher status than others one day, right? If you let yourself be ordered around now, your future is worrying."

"Er, I'll be careful."

"You say that with no confidence. Say it firmly."

"I will be careful!"

"...See, you can do it."

Tennouji-san nodded, satisfied.

"Also, your posture. Confidence comes from posture, doesn't it?"

I did as she said and straightened my back.

"Very good."

Tennouji-san looked at me and gave a small laugh.

"Class is about to start. If you're ever in trouble again, just look for this golden hair."

Tennouji-san said, pointing to her own hair. It was certainly a distinctive enough feature to recognize, but it also raised a question.

"Excuse me... a simple question, but is this academy okay with dyed hair?"

"What!?"

Tennouji-san, who was about to make an elegant exit, stopped with a strange noise.

"Y-You're saying my hair is dyed...?"

"Is it not?"

"Y-You mean... this golden hair of mine is a cheap, plated imitation...?"

"I didn't say that."

I was just asking a simple question, not blaming her.

"I-It's not dyed..."

Tennouji-san muttered.

"I... I didn't dye it!!"

She shouted, and ran off down the hallway.

"...That's definitely dyed."

The last class of the day ended, and school was out.

"Yo, Tomonari, good work."

"How 'bout it? Wanna have a welcome party later?"

Taisho and Asahi came to find me, but I could only apologize with a wry smile.

"Sorry, my family wants me home as soon as school's out."

"That's normal for the first day."

Taisho said, disappointed. I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. They've been so nice to me since this morning, but I've turned down their invitations for lunch and after school. My attendant work has to come first... but I don't want to keep rejecting their kindness.

"Next time, please. I'd like to get to know this academy better, too."

"Alright! We're free anytime!"

Taisho and Asahi smiled. Just then, Asahi pulled her phone from her skirt pocket and looked at the screen.

"My ride is here. I should get going."

"I'll head straight home today, too. See ya tomorrow, Tomonari."

We said our goodbyes, and they left. I also grabbed my bag from the side of my desk, ready to leave... but first, as her attendant, I had to watch Hinako go home.

"Hinako is..."

Just then, Hinako stood up from her seat. Our cover is that we're acquaintances, so talking is fine, but to avoid trouble, I've been keeping my distance. Hinako left the classroom, and I followed secretly, making sure no one noticed. She'll just walk out of the academy—or so I thought, but for some reason, she headed to the co-op (school store).

"I'll have one of this bread."

After buying bread, she headed to the shoe lockers. After changing her shoes, she didn't go to the main gate, but toward the garden. Kiou Academy's campus has several gardens. The one Hinako was heading to was near the old student union. There was a small pond and a few tables, but it was empty. It was far from the main building where the classrooms were, and the student union next to it was unused, so no one came here. Hinako stood by the pond, tearing off pieces of bread and tossing them in. The koi in the pond swarmed the bread. Maybe Hinako has an ojou-sama's appreciation for art and a love for animals. However, she stood there for a long time, showing no sign of leaving. Shizune-san had told me to come straight home after school, so after checking that no one was around, I walked over to Hinako.

"What are you doing?"

"...Feeding the fish."

I can see that. Having dropped her ojou-sama mask, her true self was crouching down, watching the fish swarm.

"So nice..."

Hinako muttered in a daze.

"Food just appears when they open their mouths... I wish I could trade places..."

"...I'm sure being a koi has its own hardships we don't know about."

"Really..."

She doesn't love animals; she envies them. An indescribable feeling welled up, and I sighed.

"It's about time to go back. Shizune-san is probably waiting."

"...No."

Hinako said, displeased. I was surprised she'd refuse.

"You don't want to go home? You can relax once you're back at the mansion, right?"

"I can't... I have lots to do, like my lessons."

I see. Being the Konohana heiress isn't easy either.

"But you can't be comfortable staying at the academy."

"There aren't many people around after school. It's fine."

That's also true. Kiou Academy doesn't have after-school club activities. Most students are busy with studies or work. Plus, since all the students are from rich families, they have pools or sports courts at their own homes.

"We can't stay here forever. Let's go."

"No~..."

"If you whine like this, won't it just cause more trouble later?"

"Ngh."

Hinako's expression soured for a second, but she ultimately shook her head.

"E-Even so... I don't wanna go back."

Hinako, avoiding reality, silently went back to feeding the koi. What a stubborn ojou-sama. What now?

"...Right, Shizune-san gave me this."

I remembered the black bag from this morning and took it out of my school bag. She said I could use it if Hinako wouldn't listen. I wonder what's inside. I opened the bag and took out the contents—

"Potato chips!!"

Hinako, who had been lethargic, suddenly had sparkling eyes. Just as she said, inside the bag were potato chips (Chicken Consommé flavor).

"T-Treachery... I can't overcome this temptation..."

Hinako said, her voice trembling. This is the first time I've seen someone whose willpower lost to potato chips.

"Here, you can have this. Let's go."

"...Ngh."

Hinako grumbled, annoyed, but reluctantly stood up and snatched the chips from my hand.

After that, as planned, Hinako and I split up. Hinako walked out the main gate, and a black sedan immediately pulled up. Shizune-san got out to greet her. I pretended not to notice, confirmed this, and walked off alone. Then, I arrived at the deserted rendezvous point and waited a bit. Soon, the car with Hinako and Shizune-san pulled up.

"Thank you for waiting."

"Not at all. Thank you for your hard work."

I greeted Shizune-san in the passenger seat and sat in the back. Hinako was already there. To an outsider, it looked like Hinako and I had gone home separately.

"Good work at the academy."

"Thank you."

I was a little surprised to be praised by the strict Shizune-san and nodded. Sitting next to me, Hinako was engrossed in eating the chips I'd given her.

"The item I gave you this morning came in handy."

"It was a huge help at the very end. I didn't expect potato chips to be so effective."

"They are Ojou-sama's favorite. Because she rarely gets to eat them, the effect is outstanding."

"...It's just potato chips. Is it that rare?"

"Of course. Such non-nutritious food is unbecoming of the Konohana heiress."

It seems being born rich doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. In some ways, they're even more restricted than commoners. But—

"...It's just potato chips. It's fine, right?"

"It is not. This is also Kagen-sama's order... Ojou-sama is allowed to eat potato crisps prepared by the kitchen, but she likes the store-bought ones."

She probably likes that unhealthy taste. I casually glanced to my side, and Hinako's lap was covered in chip crumbs.

"You're spilling crumbs everywhere."

When I pointed it out, she looked proud for some reason.

"...It's like slurping soba."

"What?"

"Dropping crumbs... it's the proper way to eat chips."

"There's no such rule."

Why is she spouting nonsense so proudly?

"...I'll get it. Lift your hands."

"Mm."

Hinako slowly raised her hands, and I took the chance to pick the crumbs off her lap. Shizune-san deftly handed me a plastic bag, and I dropped the crumbs into it.

"Itsuki, this."

Hinako called my name and held the chip bag in front of me.

"...For me?"

"No. Like the koi... put the food in."

Like the carp waiting for bread, Hinako opened her mouth wide. It seems she wants me to feed her.

"Yes, yes."

"Yummy~..."

I picked up a chip and put it in Hinako's mouth. Her face lit up with happiness. Although humans can't become koi, it seems she wanted to feel like one.

"I must remind you, do not ever let Kagen-sama see you like this."

"...Yes, ma'am."

This scene is easily misunderstood. It's best no one sees it.

"Shizune-san, I'm surprised you're helping us keep this a secret."

"I want to report it immediately... Unfortunately, if I terminate your position as attendant now, we cannot find a replacement right away... which is why I proposed severing it before you develop feelings for Ojou-sama."

"Please spare me."

I bowed my head deeply, pleading with Shizune-san.

◆

After returning from the academy, I immediately began training with Shizune-san.

"We'll start with prepping for tomorrow's classes. You have business administration tomorrow. We'll focus on that. The topic is financial management."

Most Kiou Academy students will become managers, so the business curriculum is more practical than other subjects, teaching real-world knowledge.

"I've graded your quiz. 87... Many small mistakes. Your focus is lacking."

"Yes, ma'am."

The prep work continued until I could get a perfect score. After three hours, it was finally over.

"Next is etiquette. Kiou Academy is attended by many wealthy children besides Ojou-sama. If you offend them, you may attract unnecessary animosity, so you must learn proper etiquette. Today is French dining."

At dinner, it was another lesson with just me and Shizune-san. Hold the knife and fork with your index fingers. Don't cut the fish appetizer. Don't make noise when drinking soup. Cut the meat along the grain into bite-sized pieces before eating.

"Wrong. When finished, placing the knife and fork at the 6 o'clock position is British style. For French, it's 3 o'clock."

"R-Right."

Place the cutlery horizontally, handles to the right. The blade must face you.

"After this post-meal review, it's time for self-defense. Because you've built up a good physique from your manual labor jobs, we can move on to combat techniques after moderately improving your basic fitness. Today is Judo. First, one hundred forward break-falls."

I changed into a judogi and received instruction in the mansion's dojo, just like the other day. After break-falls, we learned basic throws, and finally, sparring.

"Hah—!!"

"Too slow."

I tried to pull Shizune-san forward while hooking her leg for a kouchi gari. However, Shizune-san saw it coming, turned her body, and escaped. With my kouchi gari failed, I was off-balance and easily thrown onto my back.

"Your timing is too obvious. That move might work on an amateur, but it's useless against someone trained in martial arts."

"Yes..."

I replied miserably, unable to hide my exhaustion. Come to think of it, the reason I'm learning self-defense is as a precaution against another kidnapping, like the one when I met Hinako. Kidnappers are often used to violence, so being at a level where I can only beat amateurs is useless.

"P-Please... a short break..."

"No. As an attendant, you must protect Ojou-sama in a crisis. You can't give up this easily."

This person is a demon... Sadist, spartan, demon... all sorts of words floated through my mind, but at the same time, I couldn't help but respect her. Shizune-san is proficient in academics, etiquette, and self-defense, and on top of that, she's a master of maid duties like cooking and cleaning. If Hinako is the perfect ojou-sama, Shizune-san is the perfect maid.

"That's all for today. Good work."

"Th-Thank you for your instruction..."

When self-defense training ended, another two hours had passed since I'd asked for a break.

"You learn faster than I expected."

"Really?"

"Yes. You have a particular talent for self-defense. With training, you could be outstanding... Conversely, you are slow to learn etiquette."

"Ugh... Sorry."

My family's standard of living couldn't be called wealthy even if I tried. I'm still not used to using a knife and fork.

"Please don't wander the house covered in sweat. Go bathe immediately. However, you can look at this while you soak."

Shizune-san handed me a stack of papers.

"This is...?"

"It's a profile of your classmates. It will be beneficial to learn this early."

Studying in the bath, too... It's a 20,000 yen-a-day job, so I just have to accept it.

"By the way, I met someone else this afternoon."

"Who?"

"Mirei Tennouji. We're not in the same class, but..."

Hearing this, Shizune-san looked very surprised.

"Tennouji-san spoke to you?"

"Yes... Is that a problem?"

"No, not a problem. It's just that it's rumored in school that Tennouji-san and Ojou-sama are like water and fire. Their relationship is not good."

This was the first time I'd heard that.

"I don't know about Tennouji-san, but Ojou-sama doesn't feel that way. However, the Konohana Group and the Tennouji Group are of comparable scale, so they often compete. Depending on the situation, relations can be tense."

"...I see."

"I will prepare a file on Tennouji-san for you by tomorrow. Today, please focus on memorizing your classmates' profiles."

"Yes,"

I replied. Today's lessons were over, but Shizune-san still required me to self-study. I'd have to memorize the classmate profiles before bed. Shizune-san still had to clean the dojo, so I left first. I wanted to help, but I didn't have the stamina. If I offered, I'd just get in the way.

"Itsuki..."

On the way back to my room, I ran into Hinako. What is it? Before I could ask, she pressed her whole body against me.

"...Ugh."

"What's wrong?"

"...You're sweaty."

"I figured."

I pushed away the frowning Hinako.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to my room to take a bath."

"A bath?... In that case, come with me."

Hinako grabbed my hand and led me off somewhere.

"This is..."

"My room."

The place we arrived at was Hinako's room. It was at least five times the size of mine, with a large brown carpet and a four-poster bed. The décor was very fitting for an ojou-sama.

"The bathroom is... here."

Hinako opened the door in front of the changing room.

"Whoa... so spacious."

The bathroom was also huge, incomparable to mine. It was about the size of my entire room; practically a small public bath. But why did Hinako bring me here?

"Let's bathe together."

"...Why?"

Why?

"Phaa..."

Hinako let out a lazy sigh, soaking in the tub. She was wearing a white, bikini-style swimsuit.

"...She's wearing a swimsuit."

"Did you say something...?"

"Nothing."

I was shocked when she invited me to bathe together, but it seems she'd planned to wear a swimsuit all along. I don't know if she'd planned to invite me from the start, but there was a pair of swim trunks for me in the changing room too.

"Still... with a bathroom this big, I can understand wanting someone to soak with."

Using such a huge bath alone must be lonely.

"Phew~... nice, nice."

Hinako stretched a little, and the movement was strangely alluring. Her face was slightly flushed from the heat, and water dripped from her silky, amber hair.

"...Itsuki, what's wrong?"

She must have thought I was acting weird. As I sat down, she leaned in to look at my face. Hinako's small breasts filled my vision.

"N-No... It's nothing."

I replied, avoiding looking at her pale skin. Calm down—calm, calm, calm. I tried my best not to be conscious of it, but Hinako is still a beautiful girl. If I lose control for even a second, my duty as an attendant could lose to the desires of a healthy male. I picked up the documents placed nearby to distract myself. They were in a waterproof plastic bag. I read them silently.

"What's... that?"

"It's the file on my classmates. Shizune-san told me to memorize it."

The file detailed the students of Class 2-A. I already knew about Taisho and Asahi, but as expected, the other classmates were either heirs to large corporations or related to famous politicians.

"Speaking of which, do you have any close friends in class?"

"No."

Hinako said, her tone as flat as ever.

"None? There were a lot of people gathered around you in the classroom."

"Yeah... They're not friends."

It seems she just knows them; they're not friends. Even after just one day at the academy, I'm starting to understand Hinako's situation. Hinako is a bit of an outcast at Kiou Academy, for better or worse. A lot of people talk to her, but from an outsider's perspective, they seem less like friends and more like they're sucking up to her.

"You don't want friends?"

"Hmm............"

Hinako thought for longer than usual.

"...Having you is enough."

That could be taken as a sign of her strong trust in me. As I was feeling secretly happy, Hinako slowly stood up. She walked directly in front of me and sat down with her back to me. "Wash my hair."

"...What?"

Hinako's back was to me. I was bewildered.

"Y-Wash it yourself."

"...Shizune usually washes it for me."

So you don't want to do it yourself? I sighed lightly. In moments like this, she really acts like an ojou-sama.

 




"Is it itchy anywhere?"

"No~..."

I worked the shampoo into a rich lather and started washing Hinako's hair. This is my first time washing a girl's hair. Am I doing this right...? It seems Hinako usually washes her hair while soaking, and they drain all the water afterward. I think it's a waste of water. Is that just my poor-person mindset?

"...Ngh."

As I was washing, Hinako let out a small moan.

"So hot... This is so annoying."

Hinako said, reaching behind her back and undoing her bikini top.

"Wha!?"

My hands stopped instinctively, and I turned my face away.

"What! What are you doing! Put it back on!"

"It's hot... and it's weird to wear a swimsuit in the bath..."

"It's weird for a guy and a girl to be bathing together in the first place!"

Even if I say that, this ojou-sama won't understand.

"My swimsuit... Shizune insisted I wear it, so I had to..."

Hinako grumbled and grabbed the bottom half of her swimsuit. Her defenseless action threw my mind into chaos again—

"...Wait."

I think I just heard something I absolutely cannot miss.

"...Does Shizune-san know we're bathing together?"

"Mhm."

Hinako nodded slightly. It was then that I finally noticed. Why hadn't I noticed before? The bathroom door was open about five millimeters. And in that gap—a murderous gaze was fixed on me.

"Ugh...!?"

I shivered. It was Shizune-san. She'd been watching us since who-knows-when. An intense killing intent made me break out in a cold sweat. The door opened a little wider, revealing Shizune-san's full face. She silently urged me to hurry up and wash Hinako's hair.

"Mm... that tickles."

"S-Sorry."

I managed to suppress my terror and continued washing. I grabbed the showerhead and rinsed the shampoo from her hair.

"It's... it's done..."

By the time I finished, I felt like I was dying. Even though I was soaking in hot water, I was drenched in cold sweat.

"Thank you............ This is your job every day."

"Huh!?"

"Every night... you have to wash my hair."

Hinako said, standing up and walking to the changing room. Wait... Do I have to face this terror every night from now on? After Hinako left, Shizune-san walked in. Her gaze was ice-cold.

"Good work, Itsuki-san."

"G-Good work... How long were you there?"

"From the beginning."

"From the beginning..."

In that case, she probably saw me getting flustered by Hinako, too.

"Your change of clothes is in the changing room. Please change before you leave."

"Er, yes, thank you."

"And—"

Shizune-san placed a small medicine bottle next to me.

"From now on, if you have any lewd thoughts about Ojou-sama, please take this beforehand."

"This is...?"

"This is a drug that uses the side effects of antidepressants and anticonvulsants to intentionally induce drug-based ED. Simply put... it's medicine that makes it impossible to get an erection."

"Eek!?"

If I take that, I really will become a maid. I shivered as I watched Shizune-san leave the bottle and walk away.

◆

The second day at the academy. The students changed into their P.E. uniforms and gathered in the large gymnasium.

"Today's class is badminton."

The female P.E. teacher said. Kiou Academy, which produces future managers and politicians, also has P.E. class. The fact that two classes have it together and that it's co-ed is the same as my old school. Right now, students from Class 2-A and 2-B were gathered.

"Girls will use the east court, boys the west."

"Alright, boys, let's move."

The male P.E. teacher led the students to the court. Compared to other classes, P.E. was more relaxing. Whether it's a prestigious private school or a normal public school, the content should be about the same.

"Tomonari, I didn't expect you to be in such good shape."

"Oh... I train a little now and then."

As we moved, I chatted with Taisho. In reality, my body was built from manual labor jobs. Even though I quit, Shizune-san's self-defense training will keep me from getting out of shape.

"This gym is huge."

"It's 3,000 square meters. It's considered a large gymnasium."

This is less a gym and more like a mega-exhibition center that could hold events.

"After warm-ups, we'll practice rallying."

We jogged around the outside of the court, stretched a bit, and then badminton practice began. It seemed they'd had badminton a few times already, as we quickly moved into match-like practice. Taisho and I stood on the sidelines, waiting for our turn.

"...Hup."

Thanks to Shizune-san's training, my body wasn't dull. —I can keep up in P.E. Thank goodness. In this otherwise harsh academy life, it seems I don't have to worry about P.E.

"Hi hi, Tomonari-kun."

Suddenly, a voice called me from behind. I turned to see Asahi-san. It seemed she was also waiting for her turn.

"I saw you~ You're pretty good."

"My reflexes aren't bad. Asahi-san, you seem good at sports too?"

"Ah, you can tell? You're right, I'm pretty good at sports."

Asahi-san said proudly, and Taisho joined the conversation.

"Asahi is great at ice skating, too."

"I'm confident in my balance. What are you good at, Taisho? Golf?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty good at golf. I used to play with my dad a lot when I was a kid."

Taisho said with a laugh. Listening to them... I felt a chill.

"...Um, don't tell me this school also teaches ice skating and golf?"

"Yeah. In the second year, we also have polo."

"P-Polo...?"

"It's a type of equestrian sport. You ride a horse and hit a ball with a mallet."

Ride a horse...? I've never ridden a horse in my life. —I was too naive. I thought I could keep up in P.E.... but golf, skating, polo... I have no experience in any of them. It seems I can't escape Shizune-san's training after all. I sighed and looked at the court. It seemed it'd be a while until my turn.

"...By the way, the Kiou Academy P.E. uniforms are pretty well-designed."

"This? I heard it was designed by a graduate."

Asahi-san said, grabbing her collar.

"Really?"

"Yeah. That person is an apprentice to a world-famous designer now. The value of this uniform will probably skyrocket soon."

Wow, what a powerful world. I felt the urge to escape reality. Kiou Academy really isn't a place for someone like me.

"Ah, Konohana-san is up."

Asahi-san said, looking at the center court. Hinako stood there, racket in hand. She returned her opponent's lob with a sharp smash. The shuttlecock landed in the corner of the court. Hinako won.

"Konohana-san isn't just good at academics; she's amazing at sports, too."

"Yeah, she's the girl we all look up to."

Not just Taisho and Asahi, but other students were also watching Hinako with admiration. I'd heard she excelled in both, and she certainly lived up to the reputation.

"But when it comes to athletic performance, it's not just Konohana-san..."

Taisho's gaze shifted from Hinako to another female student.

"Mhm... Miyakojima-san is amazing, too."

Asahi-san nodded, looking at another girl. In their line of sight was a female student with thigh-length black hair tied back. She was taller and more slender than Hinako. Her refined features were just as beautiful as Hinako's; she was a true beauty. The girl moved lightly, hitting the shuttlecock back and landing it in her opponent's court.

"You don't know her, do you, Tomonari-kun? That's Narika Miyakojima. She's not as famous as Konohana-san, but she's well-known at Kiou."

"...She's famous?"

"As you can see, she's good at all sports. Her athletic grades might even be better than Konohana-san's. Plus, you see, she's the academy's number one 'ice queen' (hyōzan no bijin)."

"An ice queen, huh..."

She certainly fits that (cool/cold) image.

"But her biggest trait is... that."

Asahi-san muttered. After practice, the girl walked off the court. Just then, two female students who had been watching approached her.

"U-Um! Miyakojima-san! Good work!"

"That was an amazing play!"

The two girls praised her, looking nervous. However, the girl stared at them with eyes as sharp as blades.

"—Huh?"

"Eek!? S-Sorry!"

"S-Sorry to bother you!"

Her low voice scared the two students. Their faces turned pale, and they hurried away. Asahi-san watched and sighed.

"I don't like to talk about people... but Miyakojima-san is a little scary. She's basically silent, and her expression is always serious."

"I've heard lots of rumors, like she's secretly in a biker gang, or her family is in the yakuza."

Taisho also said, exasperated.

"But rumors are just rumors, no need to believe them. Still... she just feels like she has a wall up. I've tried to work up the courage to talk to her a few times, but she always says she's 'busy' and avoids it."

"...I see."

Kiou Academy is a school for only the best, so bullying and discrimination are rare, but there are still students like her who can't fit in.

"Tomonari, it's almost our turn."

At Taisho's reminder, I headed to the court. P.E. class ended without incident.

I changed back into my uniform in the locker room and walked back to class. To be safe, I looked for Hinako. She was walking with other female students. Thankfully, she's popular on the surface. Aside from lunch, there's always someone with her during the short breaks, so maybe I don't need to worry.

"...Ah."

"What's up, Tomonari?"

"Sorry, I think I left my shoes in the locker room. I'll go grab them."

I said goodbye to Taisho and went back. I was so focused on Hinako that I got careless with my own things.

"There they are."

I opened the locker room door, and my gym shoes were right on the bench. The next class was starting soon. I hurried out—

"!?"

"...Erk!?"

As I walked out, I nearly collided head-on with a female student. We both jumped in surprise and looked at each other.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sorr..."

I apologized, looked at the girl's face—and froze. Narika Miyakojima. The girl we were just talking about was right in front of me.

"W-Well then, if you'll excuse me..."

I tried to act as natural as possible and turned away. I wanted to hurry back to class, but the girl grabbed my sleeve, stopping me.

"Hey."

The girl's voice reached me.

"You wouldn't be............ Itsuki?"

A chill ran down my spine. I spoke, full of dread:

"You must be mistaken."

"No... N-N-No! Itsuki! It's really you, Itsuki! I'm not mistaken!"

The girl's eyes lit up, her voice was ecstatic, and she stared right at me.

"Waah, waah... Itsuki...!!"

The girl, tears in her eyes, opened her arms and lunged at me.

"I missed you—! Itsuki────!!"

"Ugh!?"

She hugged me tightly.

Let's talk about the past for a moment. A long time ago, I was once in the care of the Miyakojima family. The Tomonari family finances were always in the red, but my parents had only ever considered divorce once. It seemed the "loser-plus-loser" dynamic was comfortable for them. They lived a lazy life together and got along well. But when I was ten, they had a huge fight about divorce. For some reason, they blamed each other for our poverty. This rare commotion in the Tomonari household escalated to the point where my mom decided to leave home. At the time, she dragged me with her. Having already been disowned by her family, Mom had nowhere to go. So, instead of her parents' home, she went to visit a relative. That relative was—the Miyakojima family.

I learned later that my grandmother was a daughter of the Miyakojima family. However, like my mom, my grandmother lived a degenerate life, was not in line to inherit, and was eventually kicked out. Mom insisted, "My mom was kicked out, not me!!" and was determined to freeload. Amazingly, it worked. And so, ten-year-old me was suddenly brought to a luxurious Japanese-style mansion I'd never seen and became a guest of the Miyakojima family. However, we were uninvited guests. The Miyakojima family clearly saw my mom as a nuisance, and me, her son, as well. I still remember the cold stares I got.

Then, on the second day, I met Narika Miyakojima.

"Wh-Who are you!?"

The girl was swinging a bamboo shinai in the dojo. I thought it was unusual and approached her, and she yelled at me.

"Um, I'm Itsuki Tomonari. I've been in your care since yesterday."

I didn't know any etiquette, but I greeted her as politely as I could. However, hearing my greeting, the girl's eyes narrowed.

"Listen up, Itsuki! I hate weaklings!!"

"Yes."

"I heard about you from the servants! You don't have jobs; you're just here to beg for food!"

"...Yes."

Being told that by a girl my age was depressing, but she was right.

"So I'm giving you a job! From now on, you will serve me!!"

"...What?"

Compared to the girl's triumphant declaration, I was just confused. I didn't know how to serve her... but I was a guest in her house, so if I was given a job, I had to accept. After that, for my entire stay, I was almost always by the girl's side. The girl's "errands"—more than ten times a day.

"Waaaaah!? Itsuki! There's a bug in my room!?"

"Yes, yes. I'll get it out right now."

On the girl's behalf, I easily chased the black, shiny thing out of the room.

"Waaaaaaaaah!? Itsuki! Dad's mad!?"

"Yes, yes. There, there."

The girl was crying her eyes out. I patted her head to calm her down. Her father was glaring at me fiercely. Honestly, I wanted to cry even more.

"Itsuki... you're stronger than me."

"Am I?"

"Yeah. You don't cry when you see a bug, and you don't care when adults get mad."

Despite the noisy days, the girl would sometimes say things like that. Looking back, the girl must have wanted someone like that by her side. As the sole daughter of the Miyakojima family, she had no one to confide in. The girl was strong, but her strength was physical, not mental. For example, at only ten, her kendo was already a match for adults. But her inner world... was probably even younger than her age.

"Itsuki, as a woman of the Miyakojima family... I want to be stronger."

The girl told me with a pained expression.

"But I don't have the courage."

"Courage?"

"Yeah. I'm already ten... and I still can't go outside by myself."

I asked and found out that as the Miyakojima heiress, she lived a sheltered life. Taught from a young age that "outside is dangerous," she was afraid to leave the house. But the other day, she saw classmates walking to school by themselves from the car and was incredibly envious.

"In that case, want to try going out with me?"

"...What?"

"It'll be fine if it's just for a little bit."

I, who grew up in a normal family, was used to the outside world. I took the girl's hand—and ran out of the mansion.

"Amazing!"

The girl was ecstatic. It seemed to be her first time outside with just another kid, without an adult.

"Amazing! This is great, great, great! I'm—free!!"

The girl spread her arms wide on the unremarkable road, laughing as if she were in a field of flowers.

"Itsuki! What's that!?"

"A general store. Want to go in?"

"Yes!" Luckily, I had some change, so I bought snacks for her. Honestly, the cold stares from the servants in the mansion had me on edge, too. I was happy to be outside where I could relax.

"Itsuki, what's this!?"

"That's an Umaibō."

"It's umai (delicious)!"

"Because it's an Umaibō."

The girl happily ate the stick-shaped snack. After that, I took her out to play for several days in a row. If her father found out, he'd be furious, so we snuck past the servants, left the mansion, and only stayed out for a bit to avoid suspicion. But—our fun couldn't stay a secret forever. The girl's father chewed me out.

"If something happened to Narika, could you take responsibility!? Even if you're a kid, I'll never forgive anyone who tricks my daughter!! Get out, now!!"

I didn't understand at the time, but you couldn't just take the Miyakojima daughter outside. As payment for endangering the girl, the Miyakojima family kicked me and my mom out. It seemed they were planning to kick us out within a few days anyway. The servants efficiently packed our bags, and my mom and I were thrown out.

"Itsuki!!"

As we left, the girl cried, shouting my name.

"I'll definitely get stronger—!!"

That was the last thing I heard her say. That girl was the student in front of me—Narika Miyakojima. In other words, Narika Miyakojima and I are—cousins.

"Itsuki! Itsuki, Itsuki, Itsuki!! I missed you so much—!!"

"...Yes, yes."

I patted Narika's head who was clinging to me, and nonchalantly scanned our surroundings. Luckily, there was no one else in the hall. If anyone saw this, it'd be all over. On my second day, I'd be suspected of an "impure relationship."

"Narika, calm down first. What if someone sees us here?"

"Ngh, ngh... m-my legs... they're weak..."

"What?"

"I'm so happy my legs gave out...!"

Narika cried, sinking to the ground. This girl... hasn't gotten stronger at all. With Narika's legs giving out, I had no choice but to take her to the nurse's office.

"The nurse... isn't here?"

Maybe she stepped out. I sat Narika down on one of the beds. I couldn't help, so I planned to go back to class, but...

"Ngh, don't go... Don't leave me..."

"...Alright, alright."

She begged with teary eyes, so I had no choice but to skip class and stay. I pressed my hand to my forehead, troubled. Luckily, it's class time, so Hinako should be in the classroom. In class, Hinako plays the "perfect ojou-sama," so she should be fine without me.

"...Itsuki, after my family kicked you out, what happened?"

Narika asked from the bed. I answered:

"My parents made up. It all worked out."

"That's good... But you could have at least contacted me. I was so worried about what happened to you."

"Well... sorry. I didn't have the Miyakojima family's contact info."

"...That's true."

Even if I had, it would have been hard to get in touch. My mom and I were alienated; it's unlikely anyone would have helped us connect.

"It's too late to say this, but I'm sorry about back then. For taking you outside without permission..."

"D-Don't apologize!"

Narika said, flustered.

"I'm grateful to you! If you hadn't taken me out then... I'd definitely still be a coward today."

Hearing her say that made me feel a little better.

"You're not a coward now?"

"Ngh... well... I'm still training..."

Narika stammered, embarrassed. I couldn't help but laugh. If she'd become the strong woman she'd declared, she wouldn't have been sent to the nurse's office with weak knees.

"Your father is strict, after all. He wouldn't let you be free easily."

"...No, I beat my dad."

"Beat him?"

"Yeah. Kendo, Judo, Aikido, Karate... I beat him in all of them. That was the condition for escaping the Miyakojima family's surveillance... So now, I'm almost completely free."

"I-I see."

Her outstanding athletic ability hadn't changed.

"But... even if I'm allowed out, it's lonely being alone."

Narika suddenly became depressed and muttered, looking down.

"Come to think of it, you seem to be very misunderstood at this school."

I remembered what Taisho and Asahi said. Biker gangs, yakuza... it was nothing like that.

"Yes............ It's all a misunderstanding."

"...How did it get like this?"

When I asked, Narika sighed deeply.

"...The Miyakojima family motto is 'A sound mind in a sound body,' so I learned all kinds of martial arts."

"...Come to think of it, you were practicing kendo when we first met."

"Right. The Miyakojima family is a martial arts lineage, you could say."

A martial arts lineage... What a unique family. But having stayed there, I know it's not an exaggeration. Not only did they have a private dojo, but they ran another one next door. I remember hearing the kiai shouts of students when I lived there.

"Maybe because of that, it's easy to get a bad impression. Plus, just between you and me... I'm bad at making friends. As soon as I'm in front of people, I get nervous, my expression stiffens, and people mistake me for being scary."

Narika has a beautiful face, and her sharp eyes are her main feature. When she gets nervous, it probably looks like she's glaring.

"But... you were like that back then, too. You looked all high and mighty, but as soon as we did anything, you'd cry or get scared..."

"Y-You saw me like that?... That's kind of hurtful."

"It's the truth."

"Ngh... You're right."

Narika sighed.

"I-I wanted to make friends at first, to have a fun school life. But I get too nervous to talk, and when I look at people, they think I'm glaring... A-And then, before I knew it, there were rumors I was a delinquent or a gang member... Sob...!!"

That's awful. One misfortune after another.

"What should I do... Itsuki, please help me...!!"

Narika begged, tears in her eyes. From what she said, she's a really pitiful girl. If I can help her, I'd like to... As I was thinking, I noticed my pocket vibrating.

"S-Sorry, I'll be right back."

I stepped out of the nurse's office and pulled out my phone. As expected, it was Shizune-san.

'Itsuki-san, where are you right now?'

"...I'm sorry. A student fainted, so I brought them to the nurse's office."

'I see. It's class time, but your location and Ojou-sama's were different. I was wondering what happened... In that case, I will overlook it this time.'

"Thank you for understanding."

'Please return to the classroom as soon as possible. Helping others is a good deed, but do not forget your duty as an attendant.'

I expected to be scolded, but she wasn't too harsh. From the sound of it... is she tracking my location, too? In any case, I should follow her orders and get back. But before that, I need to check on Narika one more time. I opened the nurse's office door, and Narika turned to me.

"Hey, Itsuki."

"What is it?"

"Why are you at this academy?"

...How do I bluff my way out of this? My official cover is "heir to a mid-level company," and my relationship with Hinako is "we've met a few times due to our parents." However, that lie won't work on Narika. She knows who I really am. As an attendant, I have to at least protect Hinako's "perfect ojou-sama" image... I must answer carefully.

"...I told you before, my mom likes to gamble, right?"

"Right. And that she has a serious addiction."

Narika said sympathetically.

"She had a huge win. She won so much money she could send me to Kiou Academy."

Not bad for a last-minute lie, I thought—

"...You're lying."

Narika's eyes narrowed.

"Kiou Academy isn't a school you can just get into with money. They do a strict background check. Gambling winnings would never be considered."

Is that so... How did the Konohana family get me in? I guess powerful people have their ways.

"Itsuki... why are you lying? Is there something you can't tell me...?"

My lie was exposed, and now she's suspicious. I broke out in a cold sweat. As I was panicking, my phone rang again. It's probably Shizune-san. She's calling again so soon; it might be an emergency.

"S-Sorry... another call..."

I apologized, and was about to leave—

"W-Wait!"

Narika grabbed my arm.

"You're not going to disappear again, are you...?"

She asked, her voice trembling. Her sad expression made me reflect. —I see. I made Narika feel insecure. Six years ago, I suddenly disappeared from her life. I was worried about it at first, but... over time, the memory faded, and I'd forgotten. But Narika is different. Before me, she'd never gone out to play with another kid her age. So, unlike me, that day—that anxiety—has been seared into her memory.

"Don't worry. We'll see each other again."

"Really...?"

"Really."

I never expected to reunite with Narika here, but I'm happy to see her again. Even with my attendant duties, I won't just ignore her.

"Then... p-pat my head..."

"What?"

"B-Before! You used to pat my head! Like when Dad was mad at me..."

Come to think of it, I did pat her head a lot. My phone has been ringing this whole time. I should just do it quickly.

"...Alright."

I patted her head, and she giggled.

"Ah... that's so reassuring."

"You're a second-year high schooler. It's a bit childish to be reassured by a head pat."

"I-I know! But... it's an important memory... Honestly, I thought I'd never see you again."

Narika is as honest and direct as ever. I felt awkward and continued to pat her head.

"Sorry for disappearing on you back then."

"...We met again like this. It's fine."

Narika smiled, relieved. It was at that moment the nurse's office door opened.

"—What are you two doing?"

Hearing that voice, my hand on Narika's head stopped. The person at the door was Hinako.

"Hina—"

"—K-Konohana-san!?"

Narika's shout cut off my own.

"W-Why are you here, Konohana-san...?"

"I'm feeling a little unwell. The teacher allowed me to come to the nurse's office."

Hinako, in her "perfect ojou-sama" mode, replied flatly. At the same time, my phone stopped vibrating—crap, is this what Shizune-san was trying to tell me?

"What's wrong with Tomonari-kun and Miyakojima-san?"

Hinako asked. I glanced at Narika. She was stiff with nervousness... This expression is exactly why she scares people. To an onlooker, it looked like Narika was glaring fiercely at Hinako. However, Hinako was unfazed. I should be the one to answer.

"Oh... I saw Narika faint in the hallway, so I brought her here."

"I see... Did Miyakojima-san injure her head?"

"Her head? No, her head's fine..."

"Is it? I saw you patting her head, so I assumed she was injured there."

Her tone was normal, but her eyes seemed to have a dark glint in them. She saw it...

"K-Konohana-san, let me explain! Itsuki and I have met before!"

Narika said nervously.

"Before...?"

"Yes! When we were ten, Itsuki lived at my house..."

"...Lived at your house?"

Hinako's face seemed to scrunch up a little. But Narika didn't notice and affirmed loudly.

"Yes! And Itsuki took care of me back then!"

"Took care of you?"

Narika's explanation made Hinako's brow furrow. The "care" back then was really just hanging out, and I thought of her as a playmate...

"Itsuki took care of me when we were little. He's my benefactor. So I was just happy to see him again."

"...I see."

Hinako accepted the explanation, and for a moment, she looked like she had mixed feelings.

"By the way, Itsuki. Do you want to come to my house again? Just to visit is fine... I-If you don't mind, we could go back to how things were..."

Narika said to me. However, I'm Hinako's attendant now. I can't agree.

"Narika, I—"

"—He can't, Miyakojima-san."

Before I could refuse, Hinako spoke.

"Tomonari-kun works at my house now."

"...Huh?"

I stared, wide-eyed in shock, too stunned to register Narika's strange noise.

"Hina—Konohana-san, don't say that."

"Why, Tomonari-kun? It's the truth, isn't it?"

It is the truth, but... we were supposed to keep it a secret, right? Luckily, just "working at the Konohana house" doesn't reveal Hinako's true nature, but I still wanted to hide my relationship with her. If Narika tells someone, Hinako and I will be the center of the school's attention, and it will probably interfere with my job.

"Wh-Wh-What's going on, Itsuki!? You're working at Konohana-san's house!?"

"Well..."

I didn't know what to do and glanced at Hinako. If Hinako admits it, there's no point in me denying it.

"...It's just as she said. My main job is... daily life support."

When I answered, Narika looked like she couldn't believe it.

"...That's cheating."

She glared at Hinako resentfully.

"You're such a cheater! I-I...! Itsuki was my...!!"

"I don't know about the past, but his workplace is my home now."

Hinako said with a sweet smile.

"Tomonari-kun, since Miyakojima-san seems to have recovered, shouldn't we return to class?"

"Oh, uh... right."

My expression must be so stiff right now. Hinako looked at Narika one last time and nodded.

"My condition has also improved. Excuse us."

She gave a gentle, ojou-sama smile and closed the nurse's office door. From behind the door, I could hear Narika's "Nnghghghgh...!" groans.

—Sorry, Narika. Right now, I'm Hinako's attendant. I basically can't defy her. And... I have something I need to talk to Hinako about privately.

"...Did you come to the nurse's office to find me?"

"Mhm... I get lost by myself, so I used the excuse of feeling sick and had someone show me the way."

Hinako, no longer acting, nodded.

"Sorry, as your attendant, I wasn't by your side... But why did you do that just now? Shizune-san warned us to keep our relationship a secret."

Honestly, I don't think Narika would spread it as a fun rumor, but there's always a chance. Hinako, walking beside me, whispered:

"...I just thought so."

"What?"

"That it was best to warn her... I just thought so."

That's not a clear answer at all. Don't tell me... is she jealous? ...No way. Thinking about our "sense of distance" so far, I really don't think Hinako has such strong emotions.

"...Itsuki."

As I was wondering, Hinako asked:

"Whose attendant are you?"

"Yours, of course."

"Mhm... That's good."

Hinako stopped walking, a satisfied smile on her face as she looked at me.

"Let's go... get scolded by Shizune together."

"...Okay."

I nodded and sighed deeply. After all this, a scolding is unavoidable. What if I get fired...

"You will not be fired."

After school, on the ride back to the mansion. After I explained what happened, Shizune-san said this.

"From what I hear, not just Itsuki-san, but Ojou-sama is also at fault. Besides, if Ojou-sama hadn't said anything, it's highly likely you could have kept it hidden."

"...But at the end of the day, it's my fault for interacting with Narika."

"Miyakojima-san fainted in the hallway, did she not? You cannot be blamed for that kind of contact."

I was secretly grateful to Shizune-san. She's strict, but she's also reasonable. She won't forbid me from doing something as small as helping someone just because I'm an attendant.

"We were already aware of the relationship between Itsuki-san and the Miyakojima family, but this shows our investigation was insufficient."

"...You already knew?"

"I knew you were cousins, but not that you had met... The Miyakojima family likely concealed that information. Your family and theirs are estranged; they probably wanted to avoid unnecessary speculation."

From what Kagen-san said before, he seemed to know about the Tomonari and Miyakojima relationship. He must have been aware of it then.

"I am also at fault for what happened... Since it has come to this, it's best to explain the situation, to some extent, to Miyakojima-san. We will explain your work at the Konohana house in detail and then negotiate her silence."

"Understood. As for keeping quiet... it should be fine. I've already warned her."

Knowing Narika's personality, she won't spread rumors. Besides... it's not like she has any friends to talk to.

"Servants cannot attend Kiou Academy, so your cover remains 'heir to a mid-level company.' Let's add that you are 'interning' at the Konohana house... Fortunately, Ojou-sama's true nature was not discovered. But frankly, I would prefer no one knew you were working here. It could hinder Ojou-sama's future marriage prospects."

"Hinder?"

"A male classmate living and working in her house. It doesn't leave a good impression on other men, does it?"

"...I understand."

In other words, it damages her "ladylike" image.

"Kiou Academy is also a social venue. Please be extremely careful when building relationships from now on."

I nodded, "Yes," accepting Shizune-san's warning.

"Shizune-san, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss..."

"What is it?"

"Um... Is it okay for me to hang out with my classmates?"

"Hang out?"

Shizune-san's eyes narrowed sharply.

"It's not what you think. I haven't forgotten my duties. It's just, my classmates invited me out yesterday... If I keep refusing, I'll feel bad, and if I don't interact with them at all, they might find it strange..."

"...That's a valid point."

Shizune-san agreed and thought for a moment.

"Very well. As long as you inform me of your schedule beforehand, I will help arrange it."

"Thank you."

I have no intention of slacking, but I think it's best to interact with my classmates to avoid suspicion.

"Although I am not without blame, for this incident, Ojou-sama must reflect, as well as Itsuki-san."

I nodded in agreement, but... Hinako, sitting next to me, didn't react at all.

"Ojou-sama, are you asleep?"

Shizune-san turned to the back seat. I said with a wry smile:

"She's not asleep... she's clinging to me like a koala."

Hinako was gripping my right arm tightly, holding it to her chest. She's been in this position since we got in the car.

"...Pat me."

She murmured, her face buried in my arm.

"Pat my head..."

"...Yes, yes."

I patted Hinako's head. Shizune-san sighed and turned back to the front.

After returning to the mansion, I went through Shizune-san's training, then helped Hinako bathe, and my day's work was finally over. I toweled my damp hair and returned to my room. When I opened the door, Hinako, who had been following me, jumped onto my bed.

"A bed after a bath... pure bliss."

"I know the feeling."

But why in my room?

"If you fall asleep here, I'm just going to wake you up."

"Mhm..."

As I said that, Hinako rolled over, already asleep.

"...She sleeps so much."

She slept after school today, too. If she sleeps from now until morning, that's over twelve hours. It'd be one thing if it were occasional, but Hinako sleeps this much every day. I pulled the covers over the sleeping Hinako and decided to study a bit more.

A few hours later. I looked at the clock, which pointed to 1:00 AM, and stretched.

"Hinako, I'm going to bed. I'll take you back to your room."

"Mmm..."

I turned around. Hinako was lying on the bed, staring right at me.

"You're awake?"

"...Can't sleep."

Hinako said, dissatisfied.

"...You sleep too much."

I figured. No matter how much Hinako sleeps, she can't sleep indefinitely.

"...What do I do?"

"Don't ask me."

I held my head, exasperated. I put my textbook aside and picked up a file from the desk.

"How to handle this situation..."

I read the manual detailing how to handle Hinako. It did have a section on what to do when Hinako can't sleep, but— "'Stay up with her until morning'... I have school tomorrow." Considering my grades, I don't want to neglect my studies, so I have to avoid sleep deprivation. It's hard to keep up with the academy's classes while fighting off sleep.

"I wanna... run wild..."

"No running wild."

Hinako was wiggling, here body itching to move. I strictly forbade her.

"Don't move around, but... moving your body a bit might be a good idea. If you get tired, you might get sleepy again."

Luckily, Hinako's room has a bathroom, so it's fine if we sweat.

"The question is how to exercise..."

It can't be too intense. As I was struggling, Hinako tugged on my sleeve.

"...Let's go for a walk."

Even if it's a walk, we can't just go outside without permission. Hinako knows the rules, so she suggested— "A walk inside the house. It's so spacious, it might be good exercise."

"...Mhm."

Hinako nodded, pulling my sleeve.

"But... this atmosphere is really something."

The mansion at night had a unique vibe. It was like the set of a horror movie; a test of courage. I feel like I'm going to be sweating from fear, not exercise. However, another emotion dominated my mind. —I'm so sleepy. Unlike Hinako, it's my bedtime. Honestly, my feet feel heavy. Hinako, on the other hand, seemed wide awake, pulling my hand and walking through the mansion.

"That... should be the dining room."

"Oh."

That's the office.

"That is... the drawing room."

"Oh."

That's the study.

The usual Hinako doesn't use her brain, so she often gets the rooms wrong. Unfortunately, I don't have the energy to correct her right now.

"Ngh... Itsuki, are you listening?"

Hinako stopped and looked up at me.

"Sorry, I'm a little sleepy..."

"...I wanted to show you around."

Hearing her say that made me feel bad. If it weren't this late, I'd be happy to... Come to think of it, my schedule is packed until night. Walking the mansion with Hinako might be a rare opportunity.

"Do you have a favorite spot?"

I rubbed my temples, trying to wake myself up, and asked.

"...Favorite spot?"

"You can't stay in your room all day, right? Like when I'm training with Shizune-san, or when you're not in your room, where are you?"

After I explained, Hinako nodded lightly, as if she'd thought of a place.

"...I'll take you."

Hinako took my hand and started walking. Ten minutes and several wrong turns later, we finally arrived. It was a small exit at the end of a hallway.

"This is your favorite spot?"

"Mhm... The exit."

"Why?"

Why does she like it here...

"Sometimes... I sneak into the garden from here."

"Huh."

Looking closely, this exit was in a blind spot. It was far from where the servants usually work, so few people checked it. It's a ways from the main gate, so you can only get to the garden, but it's perfect for sneaking out.

"Is it okay to tell me? If you tell me, I might tattle to Shizune-san."

"You wouldn't... I'm only telling you because it's you."

Hinako said with a smile. She trusts me that much. It makes me want to live up to that trust.

"Haa... I'm sleepy."

Hinako covered her mouth and yawned.

"Back to your room?"

"Mhm."

After moving around, her sleepiness seems to have returned. As soon as we entered her room, Hinako lay on the bed.

"Alright... I'm going back to my room, too."

I quietly closed the door, preparing to return to my own room—

"What are you doing?"

"Waah!?"

Someone suddenly spoke from behind me. I flinched. I turned around to see Shizune-san glaring at me.

"Being so startled is quite rude."

"S-Sorry..."

It's the middle of the night, no one's around, and it's silent. That's why I was so shocked. The moonlight shining through the window illuminated Shizune-san. I looked at her, speechless.

"What is it?"

"Um... This is the first time I've seen you out of your maid uniform..."

The perfect superhuman Shizune-san was currently off-duty. She was wearing pajamas, her hair down.

"Is it strange?"

"Not strange, just... new. You look more... childish..."

"You're looking for trouble, aren't you."

"No, I'm not! Sorry!"

Maybe I should have said 'younger.' No, that's rude too. I'm so sleepy, my brain isn't working.

"Despite appearances, I'm still a university student."

"Huh? You're a university student?"

"Yes. So 'looking my age' would be the correct term."

I thought she was young, but I didn't think she was still a student.

"Are you still attending university? I only ever see you working here."

"I'm currently on a leave of absence."

So you can just take a leave of absence. Maybe Shizune-san's employment at the Konohana house is already set.

"Why are you out at this hour?"

"It's nothing, really..."

I explained about Hinako's insomnia and our walk.

"I understand."

"Hinako sleeps all the time... This must be a common occurrence, right?"

"No, this is the first time."

That answer surprised me.

"But the manual mentioned this situation."

"Look closely. That section is for when Ojou-sama wants to stay up, not when she can't sleep."

I see. It seems Hinako's lifestyle isn't that abnormal.

"She's probably relaxed because she feels at ease. It has its pros and cons..."

Shizune-san muttered.

"Since you've arrived, Ojou-sama has changed, for better and for worse."

"...Sorry."

"It's not all bad, so I'm not blaming you. But..."

Shizune-san said thoughtfully:

"...I hope this doesn't offend Kagen-sama."

She muttered, a pensive look on her face.

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